“The Lens Flipper™ is a simple and powerful idea, and was designed by photographers, for photographers,” said Doug Kranz, CEO of GoWing USA, LLC. “Given the worldwide success of our patented design, we are eager to reach out to retailers carrying unauthorized versions of our patented product, and to bring them the authentic Lens Flipper™”

The Lens Flipper™ is available online at lensflipper.com, and through authorized resellers.

About GoWing USA

GoWing USA, LLC, provides products that lets photographers do what they love without equipment getting in the way. GoWing’s flagship product is the Lens Flipper™, a camera accessory that facilitates secure handling and quick changes for expensive lenses. The symbol of GoWing is an albatross, known for it’s dazzling wingspan and ability to fly over long distances. The GoWing Albatross encourages employees, customers, and followers of the brand to give flight to their dreams.

September 11, 2001. It’s a day that changed us. Here is an account from Photographer, Frank Lee Ruggles, on assignment for the Associated Press.

My 9-11.

On an otherwise quiet and beautiful September morning, my business partner Adam Paseman and I found ourselves speeding down Route 1 in Virginia to take some photos for the Associated Press of the White House which had mistakenly been reported was on fire. The AP had phoned our photo studio in Falls Church and asked if we could get there quick, since our shop was close to the District and apparently no other photographers were available for dispatch on such short notice. The man told us that route 66 was completely stopped for some reason and some of his regular photographers were stuck sitting in traffic. He offered us “1000 bucks for every shot that makes it into the paper”, so we quickly took an alternate route into to the District. As we rounded the corner just past Crystal City, we saw an explosive plume of black smoke rising from the Pentagon. It shot into the sky like those old movies of nuclear tests in the desert. It was startling and scary but it felt like something that ought to be recorded on film, so we pulled over on the side of the road next to the Pentagon, grabbed our camera bags and started running towards the entrance of the giant building, snapping images along the way.

We approached the Pentagon entrance as crowds people were streaming out the doors, some at a full run, some barely walking, some covered with blood. We didn’t yet know that a plane had just slammed into the side of their workplace a just few moments earlier, but we could tell the situation was urgent and people might need our help… this was a mass casualty event. Amazingly, none of the employees evacuating the building was screaming or panicked. We were surprised to see that those who were uninjured did not evacuate the area, rather, they either tended to the wounded or met up with other workers who were handing out first aid packs and stretchers. Then, just a quickly as they ran out, the able-bodied civilian and military workers all marched back in. After a quick discussion between us, Adam and I decided to join one of the groups heading into the building. We didn’t have permission and we weren’t asked, but realized when we saw the emergency teams carrying stretchers that a few extra strong backs might come in handy. We hoped we could help, so we just went into the Pentagon to do whatever we could.

We stowed our camera gear back over our shoulders and marched in with the teams, not knowing what to expect, not knowing if we could even be helpful. The desire to do something was overwhelming.

Inside, the smoke from the spreading fire was incredible and the scene was a little more chaotic. The windows on the doors has been blasted out even though they were two sides of the Pentagon away from the point of impact. Even though we were all now wearing dust masks (which were handed to us at the door), we found breathing nearly as difficult as seeing. An Air Force Full-Bird Colonel stopped us briefly; noticing our camera gear. He said “Guys, this isn’t a press event” as if he was going to turn us away. I looked at him and said…”no, this is history”. “Good point” he answered and waved us ahead. I hadn’t even thought of taking photos at that moment, I just wanted to get to the people who needed to be carried out. The lights flickered and we walked around E-ring towards the impact site. Windows had been blown out throughout the entire building, lights hung from the ceiling… there was glass and debris everywhere, we moved slowly but deliberately toward the impact site. The scene got worse with every step. My heart was racing, but Adam seemed calm so I stayed calm, too.

Down the corridor ahead, a door flew open and three men came running out. The lead man, a US Marine Corps Major, shouted: “ Get the F_ _ K out of the building, another plane is heading right at us!!” I think I heard him say they had picked it up on radar or something, I couldn’t quite understand what he was saying, but the note of urgency was unmistakable. Where once our group of ten people was shuffling together towards the fire we were now flat-out running in the other direction, back towards the exit. My mind immediately thought of Lisa. “If I get hurt, she’ll KILL me” I said to myself.

Not knowing the quickest way out, we simply ran towards the light hoping somehow that we could outrun a jumbo jet. The reality of the situation started to sink in for the first time…”this is an attack” I thought. I looked to my right; Adam had pulled his camera out and was snapping photos as he ran. He looked determined to document what he was witnessing during what might be the last moments of his life. As we broke through the doorway, my cell phone rang. I don’t know why , but I answered it even though I was at a full speed sprint.

It was Lisa:

“Oh MY God , Frank, did you hear the news??” “Yeah” I said, “I heard” ….“Why are you out of breath? Where ARE YOU ???!!!” “Um………honey…………….I can’t talk right now, I’m at the Pentagon and right now I’m trying to find cover because they said another plane is heading for us, Don’t worry, I’ll be carefu…..”

I lost the connection. My stomach sank…I feared those might be the last words I may ever say to my Wife. Why didn’t I think to say “I love you”?

We spent the rest of the day shooting 4 rolls of film the evacuation at the Pentagon, cut off from all communication and unaware of what was happening a few states away. Thanks to the brave passengers of United 93, I got to see the look of anger and relief on my Wife’s face that night as I pulled into the driveway. She didn’t know until that minute if I was alive or not. That plane on the radar never came to kill me and my friend. Would it have hit the Pentagon? Nobody will ever know, because when we needed them most, regular Americans became heroes. Those people saved lives, possibly mine.

I think that day in Virginia as well as in New York, and in the sky over Pennsylvania, in every city across the USA, we ceased being republicans, democrats, poor, rich , black , white, young or old. We were simply Countrymen. As the situation worsened for us, our American instincts kicked in and we did what came naturally; We automatically went into recovery mode. Everyone aided someone else that day, whether it be the heroic act of taking back a high jacked airliner or offering a kind word of reassurance to a stranger. For a short while, we were all lucky enough to witness America at it’s absolute best in the face of it’s worst circumstance.

I will never forget the 3000 Americans who perished that day. I will never forget the image on TV of the Queen of England , standing in St Paul’s Cathedral singing “America the Beautiful”. I will never forget the images of the towers before they fell and the sky was raining people. I will never forget those Pentagon workers marching into a burning building to help their co- workers. I will never forget the NYPD and NYFD heroes who rushed in to a doomed situation, in the hopes that they could save at least one more

life. I will never forget Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett. Cee Cee Williams, Sandra Bradshaw, and the rest of the United 93 passengers who spared the rest of us from the same fate delivered by the other three planes that day.

I will never forget.

I will never forget.

Damn it, I will never forget any of this.

And now, an interview with Frank

LF: Hello Frank, thanks for taking some time out of your day to talk to us about Sept 11th, We have read your story. Being involved and closer than most of America, what do you do in memory of that horrible day.

FR: I… I am torn between trying to put this behind me, and trying not to forget. I think it is important to remember. I am a big social media guy. So every Sept 11th, I post on social media the images in a video.

LF: If you could go back, what would you done differently on 9/11, as a photojournalist?

RF: Well… here is the thing. At the time, and even now, I don’t consider myself a Photo Journalist.

I’m not sure how or why I got the call from the AP. I had never done any work for the Associated Press before. I have no idea where they got my number. It was a strange call, the guy that called me was Arnie Sachs, who was an AP photographer himself. Years later, I met his son, who is the President of the White House Photographers Association. Certainly, some days I wish I never got the call, and some days I am glad it was me, bbecause I was there with a good partner that was calm and brave. And we got to witness and recorded this event, when nobody else did. To this day I have not seen any other pictures of this story. So, what would I have done different? That’s a tough question. I think I wished I stayed in the Pentagon a little longer, and taken a few more pictures of the evacuation. I think there was a bigger story to tell there. The sense of urgency was great. When you see Military guys running for their life….these big, tuff Marines, You know maybe it’s time to follow them, and not stick around taking pictures. It’s shocking, as a photographer, unless you’re a photojournalist, you don’t think about photographing the bad things you think about shooting good things, like weddings. There was never a bad day shooting, until 9/11

LF: What would you different as a person?

FR: I think the only thing I would do different would be bbetter communications with my wife. I was in BIG trouble with wife when I got home. When she had called, I told her I really could not talk, and the line got disconnected. When I got home that night she was beating my chest scolding me, laughing and crying. I hadn’t contacted her all day.

LF: You mentioned in your article about helping people. Do you feel there is a line, where a photographer should help or document an event like this? Did you feel torn between helping and documenting?

FR: Before photography, I was a US Army paratrooper. I took an oath to protect the country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That oath that does not have an expiration date , so when I find there is some kind of emergency, an auto accident or this thing on 9/11; because I have skills that can help, I am obligated through my oath, I am obligated morally. In the long run, the pictures might help. But I am not the guy that take a picture of a burning body without throwing a blanket over the person. I thinkon that day I was more of a solider than a photographer. My partner was a former CIA employee had the same reaction of wanting to help, though he snapped out of it quicker .As we were running out of the Pentagon,he got his camera out and photographed people evacuating, it was another minute before I got my camera out.

LF: If you knew what was happening at the time, knowing what we know now, would you have still gone to the Pentagon?FR: Yes. (no hesitation) I would of gotten there quicker, I think I would have ffocused on people, not some of the other things going on, like classified docs being put on choppers.

LF: Last thoughts?

FR: I think photojournalist serve a very important function for society, they are historians minute by minute, of what is going on, if we did not have photo journalist, we wouldn’t know these stories, but I have never considered myself a photo journalist. I found myself in that role for a day. It takes a certain kind of l person to detach and keep an eye on the history of the moment, not the event itself. I think on that measure I failed as a photo journalist…but not embarrassingly so, it’s not like I have been doing it for years and choked when I had the big chance. I was a soldier instead and stepped up.

LF: Thank you Frank, once again for taking the time to share your story with us here at Lens Flipper. Down the road we will interview you again with your work as the Eminent Photographer for the National Park Service.

Here is a video of images that Frank and his partner photographed that sad, tragic day.

About Frank Lee Ruggles:

Frank Lee Ruggles began his photography career as a hobbyist in 1992, working in a one-hour photo lab on Kiawah Island, SC. Before and after work most days, he would hike the trails of the Island, practicing his photographic skills and developing his own shooting style. After taking thousands of images, studying Ansel Adams’ books, and with the help of his wife Lisa, he found his own style and a buying audience at the photo store, where he sold his Fine Art images.[8]

After five years, he moved to the Washington DC area to try new challenges and found work as a camera store manager where he met hundreds of photographers and learned the business of photography by networking and sharing experiences. In 1999, with his business partner he purchased a lab of his own. Their clients for photography and custom hand processing were primarily Federal Government clients, Architects, Realtors, and Manufacturers.

Frank Lee Ruggles has photographed over 100 of our National parks and logged 25000 miles on his photographic journey over the past four years. He can often be found hanging off remote cliffs, hiking on active volcanoes,or sitting for sometimes hours – waiting patiently – for the perfect image to capture the American Beauty he sees through his lens. His hikes frequently take him far off the beaten path to discover the lesser known views of these well known places. Mr. Ruggles will go to almost any extent to “get the shot”. He has committed to not only searching out, documenting, and sharing the beauty of America, but he has also committed to protect it as well through education and fundraising for preservation foundations.[9]

For this month’s featured photographer, we bring you our good friend Kenny Kim of Kenny Kim Photography. The author of two books, Kenny is an international wedding photographer based in Chicago, IL. We constantly see Kenny speaking to crowds of people at photography conventions and workshops around the country, and he’s always been a loyal fan of the Lens Flipper. We asked him a few questions that we thought our users might like answers to, as well as some that we at Lens Flipper were curious about ourselves. Here’s the interview, including some photos of Kenny in action, as well as some of his personal favorites.

What first made you pick up a camera?

As long as I can remember, I enjoyed taking photographs. The real motivation came for me back in college days when I wanted to get better seats at popular sporting events such as tennis, football and basketball. I saw that the photographers had the best seats in the house and I wanted to be part of them.

Why Weddings?

There is no other field of photography that is as rewarding as wedding photography Weddings are also fun for me. I love the different dynamics each wedding brings to the table. It makes every single one unique. It is an honor to play a major role in helping preserve my client’s legacy through the moments I capture for them. It is surreal to think that these prints will outlast any one of us and it will be enjoyed generation after generation.

Creatively speaking, what’s your favorite part of a wedding?

I love the reception. By then, everyone is relaxed and just enjoying the night surrounded by friends & family, beautiful ambiance and great food & drinks. They tend to be themselves more and not worry too much about someone pointing a camera at them. This is when I tend to get more creative also because the day is almost done and anything I do at this point is extra for my clients. In most weddings, during this time, I have to work with available indoor lights provided by the decoration or I have to create my own using various lighting equipments which allows me to expand my creativity a bit more.

I attached the Lens Flipper onto my Moneymaker – a duel camera strap created by Holdfast Gear. During ceremony & photoshoot part of the day, I do not always have access to my camera gear bag so I prefer to have everything ready by my side. Camera one will almost always have the 70-200mm F2.8L II lens attached to it. My second camera usually has either a prime lens like the 50mm 1.2L or a medium zoom lense like the 24-70mm F2.8L II. The Lens Flipper will have my other trusted lens in 16-35mm F2.8L mounted and ready to be used.

I would say two non-profit volunteer projects I did for Thirst Relief in Tanzania, Africa and Churches Helping Churches in Haiti were couple of the most rewarding experiences I had as a photographer. I even once got to photograph an event inside the White House a few years ago. It was a meeting for Korean- American leaders to connect with the President’s administration. The best part about this was that once the meeting was adjourned they served us catered Korean food! Imagine this: a Korean American eating Korean food INSIDE the White House. I bet not many people can say they have done that.

Where do you see your company in 10 years? Expanding employees? Genres? Regions?

I am still passionate about photographing weddings. I do not plan on slowly down at all. I would live to continue to explore the glob and still do what I do.

Lastly, if you could photograph a wedding anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Today we chatting with photographer John Byrum. This year, John is covering his second Super Bowl as a staff photographer for the Spartanburg Herald_Journal.

LF: Hello John, Thanks for taking some time out of your Super Bowl Prep to chat with us today.

JB: You’re welcome. You know, this is the first interview I have had.

LF: Don’t worry, It’s my first interview, as well. We are on even ground!

LF: What was your first camera that you can remember?

JB: it was a little Nikon point-and-shoot film camera.

LF: What got you started in photography?

JB: I was working as a technician, and I took a vacation and wanted to have some memories to take with me. Once I developed the film, I thought to myself: “hey, these are kind of good.” A while after my return to work, the job I had come to an end. I got a job in a photo lab, and later a photo studio. My boss in the studio knew the guys from the paper and would take assignments from time to time. He (my boss) didn’t want to take an assignment, but referred me. I covered my first story, and when I got back the paper and developed the film, we had this device that would show the image from the negative on the TV. As the editor and I were looking through them there was this one image. The editor said “wow!” and of gave me a look like: who is this guy? The image was the lead photo the next day.

LF: So, was that the defining moment when you just knew you wanted to be a photo journalist?

JB: Yes. The editor’s reaction was an ego booster, to have someone in his position say “wow” about my image. I just knew this was my calling.

LF: What made you pick photo journalism over other genres of photography?

JB: It was that first photo that got the lead in the paper the next day. Of course it helps that the paper kept asking me to cover more assignments. It feels good to be out in the community, documenting life.

LF: Now that you’re a seasoned photographer, is there anything you would have done differently in your career?

JB: I think I would have put more effort into understanding the technical side of photography. Things like understanding exposures and focal lengths. It would have made my work much easier early on.

LF: What has been the worst experience as a photographer?

JB: Not taking photos of a lady being extricated from a car wreck. I photographed two fatality events in two days. A lady died in a fire and then a young man died in a fiery car wreck. A coworker told me that even through it’s tough to photo fatal events, these photos could help people to be a little more cautious and careful. I was approached by a friend that had seen my images of the accident in the paper who said: “I drove my daughter to school this morning and she asked: ‘Daddy, why are you driving so slow?’ I replied: ‘That accident yesterday, the one in the paper with the pictures. It reminded me to slow down.’”

LF: How about your best experience as a photographer?

JB: In my first year as a staff photographer, I won a first place sports action in the SCPA (South Carolina Press Association) in 2000. The photo was from Clemson vs Florida State, and the Clemson QB was being sacked while the football was coming free. Clemson was clobbered in the game; the final score was like 72-21. That one photo summed up the game. Other papers in SC didn’t run an action photo from the game. All the others ran a photo of father and son Bowden greeting before the game.

LF: Which are your favorite kind of assignments to cover?

JB: I love to cover sports. Basketball, where the action just seems to come to you; football, where you have to chase the action.

LF: This is your second Super Bowl assignment. What was it like to cover your first Super Bowl? What kind of feelings and emotions did you have covering such a national event?

JB: I was a jumble of nerves. But once I got through security, got the credentials that allowed me on the field, and walked onto the field itself, I dropped to my knees thinking, I am here. I am really here. I was soaking it all in. Suddenly a man approached me saying: “HEY! You can’t be here!” Needless to say, that kind of helped me to snap out of it. The rest of the day was a little difficult, having to shoot elbow to elbow with other photographers. And at the time I was shooting with Nikon, and they were going through some auto focus issues.

LF: What are you going to do different for your second Super Bowl?

JB: I have two good Canons this time. No auto focus issues.

LF: As a photojournalist, what kind of prep do you have to do to cover the Super Bowl?

JB: The player roster entered in, making sure batteries are charged, and making sure I have a good internet connection to send images back. Being comfortable on the sideline is a main factor, so I can concentrate on the action, and not if my clothes are binding in the wrong areas. As far as gear, I have everything in a thinkTank Photo Airport security, and it’s always ready to go.

LF: Have you ever had any nightmares before a big event like this, like missing the game or just something not going right?

JB: No, I can’t say that I have. I do get really nervous before an event like this, with butterflies in my stomach. And I think, will I have it all together?

LF: We understand you have images in the NFL Hall of Fame. Tell us about that?

JB: I have two photos recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame photo contest from 2005 and 2007. Both action category, and both an honorable mention. The 2005 photo is of Jake Delhomme, QB of the Panthers, vertical in the air throwing a pass. The ball is just off his fingertips. The 2007 photo was in the Texans vs. Panthers. It’s of a Hail Mary pass with a Texan out leaping the Panther to deflect the pass away. The photo captured the moment the Texan touches the ball. The photo is named “Hail Mary Denied.”

LF: Last Question: what advice to you have for aspiring photographers?

JB: Have the heart, making sure it’s something you want to pursue. There are so many “professional photographers” out there who just don’t have the heart for what they are doing. You have to have the heart and the passion to succeed.

LF: John, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Good luck on your Super Bowl Assignment!

The MagMod 2 Basic Kit contains everything you need to take your flash photography game to the next level. Thanks to the invisibily awesome powers of rare-earth neodymium magnets, the MagMod system attaches securely, quickly and quietly to virtually any flash.

Don’t have time to fiddle with light modifiers? Throw on a MagMod in less than a second. Need to switch modifiers in the middle of a shoot? Swap them out without breaking a sweat. (And then literally toss ‘em in your bag when you’re done. No worries since they’re made of crazy durable silicone!) Want to balance color temperature and change the quality of your light? Do it all at the same time by stacking as many MagMods as your heart desires. With a system this easy, your mind is free to explore new channels of creativity.

Each MagMod modifiers has been whittled down to its simplest, most functional form so you can concentrate on doing what you do best: capturing awesome images and knocking the socks off of your clients.

You can enter to win one of these and lots of other awesome prizes! Enter NOW!

I have personally been a huge fan of thinkTank Photo Gear since their inception just about. I have several pieces of their gear in my personal collection, and I used all of them. One piece I do not have is the StreetWalker Hard Drive. But this back pack looks Serious.

Instead of me listing all the features, Jump on over to the thinkTank Photo Website and check it out! Would you like to win one? It’s part of our Grand Prize in our Huge Flippin’ Give Away, and if you enter, and visit the ThinkTank Photo Website you can get 5 extra entries today!

Now this is a bag I have personally. It’s my go to bag when I just need a few pieces of gear on the big stuff, or want to carry all of my Sony Mirrorless toys. The Strap is perfect for our Clip for the Lens Flipper, as well as the side pockets for the Clip on the pad. Big plus, there is room for a tablet too. It’s plenty deep enough for long lenses, even with a Lens Flipper on them. For us guys: It turns into a large purse murce European Shoulder Bag, being able to take out the inserts. It’s a bag I use quite often!

But you can’t win if you don’t enter the Huge Flippin’ Give Away, If you enter, then visit the ThinkTank Photo Website you can get 5 extra entries today!

Face it. We have all used our phones as a camera or video camera. I am sure many of us own a selfie stick. Some of us even have a blue tooth remote trigger. Go ahead, admit it, it’s ok!

One of the things i like to do on my Disney trips is selfies with some of the lesser thanked cast members, from the hotel maid to the custodians. After all, they play a huge roll in the magic of the parks. I will also admit that i have been known to grab a selfie with Micky and his friends. It’s harder now that selfie sticks are banned from the parks. Now there is a solution! And it’s in our Grand Prize in the Big Flippin’ Give-a-way!

The Grip&Shoot is a great way to take that selfie. It has a trigger to fire the shutter, and + and – buttons to zoom in and out. Gone are the awkward position holding to phone and being able to hit the fire button. And, your finger wont cover the lens!

Many of the devices i have used in the past have a proprietary case, making it impossible to use your existing case or battery case. While the Grip&Shoot comes with a plastic case for the iPhone 4 and 5, it also comes with Jawz, a universal adapter that will hold about any phone with or with out a case. When not in use it folds out of the way.

How it works:

The Grip&Shoot is run by it’s own app and connects through Bluetooth right in the app. The grip it self is made out of a high grade plastic, and fits easily in the palm of your hand, and the buttons are easy to reach. with your index finger and thumb. In the app it self, you can do some pretty awesome things, like over or under expose your image, You can also change your white balance. For composing the image, there are three grid styles to choose from. It’s a very well thought out app. Of course, it has all the normal features like your image size/shape, reverse camera, and toggle the flash from off, on, and continuous. You can toggle Geo Tagging too. That is just on the picture side. It would be great for phone video too. the +/- buttons makes it easy to pan in and out during live video. There are endless possibility to how you can use this creatively!

I love Christmas time. For me, it’s Christmas. For you it might be something else. None the less, its something special. I love watching my wife as this time of year gets closer. She will talk about how she will decorate the house, and ask me more then once, “Have you thought how your going to hang the lights this year?” Its seeing her filled with a joy and happiness. It’s a time of year where we all seem to be a little more generous, kind, and thoughtful of our fellow man. It’s a time when we tend to give more. I am sure you have heard all this before, and hear it year after year. Though, it’s true.

My wife and I love to go to Disney Parks. I love Photography. I hate carrying my 1DMK III into the Parks. And as a photographer, there are times I just don’t need the speed or features of a big DSLR. That’s why I just picked up a Sony A6000 and a 55-210 MM lens along with the 18-50MM the camera came with. The camera I may review in another post. But having a new fun camera I needed a smaller bag. Thus, I have the Mirrorless Mover 25I.

Key features that sold me on this camera bag:

Enough room for the lens with a Lens Flipper on it.

inserts easy to move when needed

Carry an iPad Mini

Enough room left over for all the extra junk I tend to carry

Belt loop for a belt

Removable Strap

First, when you put a Lens Flipper on a Lens, it suddenly becomes taller. Many bags are so tight that it’s just not possible with standing a long lens up. This bag easily fits my Sony 55-210 with the Lens Flipper.

When I am done shooting something, I usually do not want the hassle of having to change the lens to make it fit back in the bag. The inserts in the 25I are easy to re-position. The pictures below illustrate this best of what I mean.

I am a technology junky. I almost always have my iPad Mini with me. But carrying 2 bags some times is just not convent. My iPad has a great little home called the App House. I guess you can say that it’s vacation home is the Mirror-less Mover. There is enough room for my gear and my iPad with a Zagg Keyboard (that’s another blog entry). There are some awesome features on the Sony A6000 that works great with mobile devices. My phone is to small at times to do the extra editing I may want to do on the fly. But who wants to carry a camera bag and a tablet case?

Depending on what I am shooting, there are times I want to carry my bag on a belt. While I wish the 25I had the same kind of belt attachment flaps of the Hubba Hubba Hiney or Speed Changer, I can understand that thinkTank Photo wanted to make a sleek bag.

The strap is nice and thin, but is long enough that no mater how you wear it, it’s comfortable. I do wish it was a bit wider to make it easier to accommodate the Clip for the Lens Flipper, but I have enough straps, finding something that will work should not be a problem.

I carry stuff. extra batteries, battery charger, drink mix for water, hand sanitizer, blood glucose testing kit, kitchen sink, iPhone Camera Lens Attachments. Heck I could just use a thinkTank Photo Belt system. But who wants to look like a photo dork at Disney? Oh wait, do these ears make me look like a dork? (disclaimer when I wear my belt system while shooting, I look like a working professional, when I wear my ears in a Disney Park, I look like a fun loving tourist. When I wear them both together, my wife claims not to know me) The solution is the thinkTank Mirrorless Mover 25I

How often do you need to be connected to your phone to listen for that text tone, phone call or message and at the same time need to maintain a quite environment? Need to listen to music and hear what’s going on around you? Hate having a big ol blue tooth ear piece in your ear? Aftershokz Blues 2S might be the answer! Aftershokz has just upgraded the original Blues bone conductive headphones. This leaves your ears open to listen to what is around you. Great for things like riding a bike on the streets. When you get that call, or need to ask Siri a question, the dual noise canceling microphones does a great job keeping background noise out, and enhancing speech so people can understand you on the other end.

Now you may ask what’s this doing on a photo accessory company’s blog. This is a useful tool for us photographers. I love these when I am working in a NASCAR Garage during practices. It’s a time when full cover earphones is just to much. It also allows me to hear my phone, when I have so much gear that I can’t feel the vibration. It allows me to be safe and hear what I need to hear around the garage and from my phone. (I also use the wired Aftershokz with a scanner)

How about when I go for a hike? These things are AWESOME! it allows me to listen to the music I want with out bothering other hikers, and still able to keep my ears open to what’s around me. You can check these out here: http://aftershokz.com/collections/wireless/products/bluez-2s At the time of this posting, they are on Pre-order.

One really cool note about the Aftershokz, they have helped people hear when they have never heard before. Its the way the sound travels through the bone instead of the ear cannel Pretty cool stuff!